I'm learning how to code an app for a side project I'm going to use to fundraise for my incredibly high protein intake and competition travel. While learning the fundamentals in a course, it had me connect some dots to how I teach martial arts. When I learn something new, I don’t crawl through it slowly. Once I understand the logic and analytics, I immediately jump into excelling through play and optimization. That’s how I process everything, whether it’s coding or martial arts. Both are just education. Both are just systems of information. The way I break things down is pretty simple. If I see a skillset, whether it’s from my teacher or something I watched in a real fight or movie, I ask three questions: 1. What is the effect? 2. What was the trigger? 3. What is the athletic coordination? Once I can answer those, I break the skill into logical parts. For example, let’s say a combination has three parts: A, B, and C. - I train A for 10 reps. - Then B for 10 reps. - Then A into B for 10 reps. - Then C for 10 reps. - Then B into C for 10 reps. - Finally A into B into C for 10 reps. After that, I keep drilling the full sequence until it feels consistent. This is what my dad calls micro drilling and skill stacking. Don’t just copy the movement, I copy the logic behind it. What matters most is the effect and utility, the outcome you’re training for. Break it down, build it back up, and stack the skills until they become "second nature".

Discipline equals freedom. To be free is to understand structure. Personally you are free to do whatever you want to do. Be free in the sense that you assume positive intent from everyone but prepare for the worst to come. Training martial arts is akin to buying life insurance. Inside martial arts, you must learn to detach yourself from worldly values. To kill the ego and exist as a dead man is the aspect of the warrior. Learn when to turn on and off the warrior so you may live peacefully amongst your fellow man. Ritual of respect. You bow in respect to the skill and presence, not in submission. You acknowledge the bravery of showing up as an opponent alongside how you exist to learn and grow alongside the one standing in front of you rather than destroying their essence. Even in combat, mercy is the strongest form of power. A lesson from wolves in how packs absorb weaker packs after fights instead of killing one another. We exist to serve the weak. We accumulate our strength through self-sacrifice, not consumption. My story of chorus. When I was younger I took chorus in elementary school. I wanted to quit. My mother wouldn’t let me and installed the value of finishing what you start. I finished, hated it, but finished. I appreciated that value as I got older to take more time to consider my choices of commitment and use it to this day to hold people accountable. You get good at everything you practice. If you practice quitting, you get good at quitting. Respect in violence. The art of violence is the most intimate form of connection. That level of care of connection requires mutual respect. Respect for yourself to stay within morals and ethics. Respect for the other and their life’s work. Respect for the greater good that we will be judged by the beyond and exist as vehicles for the energy that flows in this plane of existence. Martial arts vs. school. Martial arts teaches the egotistical humility. It teaches the feeble confidence. It teaches the immature, growth through challenge. It teaches the mature, youthful exuberance and play. It completes people. Discipline through a game that risks your life is an ultimate form of love.

Runtime: 29 minutes🎙️ Raw TikTok Livestream / Podcast Recording In this episode, I break down 12 books every martial artist should read if you want to grow as a fighter, but as a leader, teacher, and thinker. These books cover: - 🥋 Discipline & Consistency - 🗣️ Communication & Leadership - 🎨 Creativity & Mindset - 📚 Lifelong Learning as a Martial Artist 📖 Featured books include: Surrounded by Idiots, Verbal Judo, Steal Like an Artist, Atomic Habits, and more!

Having the right starter kit is more about safety, performance, and building confidence. If you look good, you feel good. If you have high quality gear, you can focus on training hard. Quality gear keeps you training longer, prevents unnecessary injuries, and helps you focus during sessions I’ve curated my full Muay Thai Starter Kit-Click Here! This is everything I personally recommend for beginners and rising athletes. Each item has been chosen for durability, performance, and style. 1. Boxing Gloves: Protect Your Hands, Protect Your Game Venum Challenger 2.0 Boxing Gloves ($47.99) - Great for beginners who want solid wrist support and knuckle protection without breaking the bank. - Lightweight but padded enough for bag work and sparring. Venum Elite Gloves ($109.99) - A step up for fighters who want professional-grade performance. - Handmade in Thailand, the birthplace of Muay Thai. If you’re searching for the best Muay Thai gloves for beginners, these two options cover both budget-friendly and elite performance levels. --- 2. Hand Wraps: Your First Line of Defense Venum Boxing Hand Wraps ($9.99) - A must-have to stabilize wrists and protect your knuckles. - Affordable enough to buy multiple pairs so you’re never caught with sweaty wraps. Pro Tip: Always wash your wraps after training. Clean gear = clean training partners. --- 3. Rashguards & Shorts: Train in Comfort and Style Venum x Ilia Topuria Rashguard ($49.99) - Compression fit that keeps muscles warm and prevents mat burns. - Inspired by UFC champ Ilia Topuria—great for MMA cross-training. Venum Light 5.0 Fight Shorts ($34.70, limited deal)

Every week I get reminded that fighting isn’t just about power, it’s about perspective. The way you train when you’re 10 years old isn’t the same as when you’re 30, or 40, or beyond. The arts shift with you the same way you study fights. The way you recover shifts. I wanted to share a few thoughts today: Muay Thai’s clinch, on how I study fights, and on training that actually lasts. Read through, then hit reply and share your own story with me! --- On the Muay Thai Clinch One of the coolest parts of Muay Thai is the clinch.There aren’t many other martial arts that share that same close-quarters, full-contact grappling. I still remember first learning the clinch when I was 9 or 10? The posture felt so unnatural compared to a regular kickboxing stance. Instead of blading out, you need to square up. Instead of light and agile feet, you need to sink into what I was type called “duck feet.” As I got older, I carried lessons from Jiu-Jitsu, JKD, and Wing Chun over and I think that gave me creativity inside the tie-up. The hardest part about it is learning to stay relaxed enough to flow, while keeping the trigger ready. You need to be able to brace against strikes or off-balance someone the moment they overcommit. I like to focus more on posture, angles, and timing rather than sheer strength. On Studying Fights Do you study fights just for highlights, or do you watch for the setups and footwork? I study to steal techniques. I’ll watch my favorite fighter, but then I’ll flip my jersey inside out and focus on the opponent. I pick apart how they get inside, what traps they set, what counters they pull out I also like studying fighters with a body type close to mine since mimicking their movements feels more natural, and it lets me adapt faster in sparring or drilling. On Training That Lasts Something we don’t talk about enough is how training evolves as we age. At a certain point, it’s not just about how hard you push it’s about how well you can keep showing up. You start noticing the little aches, recovery takes longer and suddenly, sleep, journaling, and joint care matter as much as sparring rounds lol